Red Noon
by exigy
Summary: The Cullen family's next big adventure!
1. Introduction

Just a quick introduction before we get to the thick of things. I've written the first few chapters of this fan fiction so far, but I can't promise anyone that they're any good. If you find yourself enjoying my story, by all means, leave me a review or favorite my story. Reader encouragement is probably all that will keep this going for longer than a month or so. This is my first fan fiction in any category, so if you like it let me know, tell me which characters you'd like to see more of and we can make it better together ;) 

I'll be releasing chapters once a week on Mondays, probably around noon. So be sure to check back if you're interested.


	2. Prologue

"You jest." Aro's paper thin voice called out from across the chamber, staring down his long hated enemies. "You can't expect us to trust you, you understand of course." Never absent his proper manner. His sides were absent his companions, but he felt the confidence of a full guard surrounding him. Little Jane stood behind the two Romanians, who knelt before his throne, but not close enough to make a lunge for him. The account they had just given him was unbelievable. Aro tilted his head to Alec, who stood on the stairs in front of him, within moments the Romanians were sedated, lost in Alec's mist. Aro strode forward, gently across the stone floor, his kingly robe sweeping out behind him. He laid a hand on the older's forehead, Vladimir, and then the younger, Stefan. He saw nothing other than the writings they had offered as truths, nothing in their memories to corroborate their fantastic tale. He looked down at them in disgust, his ancient face contorting into a thousand-year-old grimace. "Stand them up, hold their hands." He said to two of his larger guards, then held up his hand for Alec to release them.

"I see nothing in your minds. You have told me lies." Aro spat at his oldest rivals, his cordial demeanor abandoned. Though he smiled, the hate in his voice didn't retreat an inch. "You have surrendered yourselves to the Volturi, however, and that is admirable."

"Aro, we come to help you." Stefan said, his accent thick, but the contempt was clear in his voice. "He will come for you, as w--" His words were cut off by the back of Aro's hand, which tested the strength of Stefan's neck against the guard holding him, who didn't let him fall an inch.

"Even if you were truthful, then you come to help yourselves!" Aro shouted at him, bending down to within an inch of his face. "The Volturi are simply the method of your escape!"

"Aro please!" Vladimir interrupted Aro's mounting tirade. "Please! We speak only the truth, we wouldn't dare tempt your wrath by giving ourselves over and lying to you." Aro paused at this idea, he had considered it, but he had always considered the Romanians much more foolish than he.

"If your diaries tell the truth, why do your minds lie to me!?" He demanded, grabbing Vladimir's gnarled face with an equally gnarled hand.

"They have methods of making us forget." He said desperately, spit flying from his clenched teeth, his face being crushed under Aro's furious grip. He tossed the face aside, and turned around, pacing in front of them.

Aro knew they believed themselves truthful, he also had seen what were possibly blanks of time in their minds, it was possible. Though he saw their reason, his anger was overwhelming, here they were, weak from hunger and abuse, his two thousand year enemies, so easy to kill, after all the pains they had caused the Volturi for centuries. Aro spun round to face the Romanians again.

"Kill him." He said simply, regaining some of his gentleman's control. And within seconds, several guards had reduced Stefan to a flaming pile of vampire. "Lock him away." He said, indicating the remaining vampire, ignoring the Romanian's shouts as he returned to his throne. Once he was dragged out of the grand chamber, he turned to a vampire standing behind his seat, and gave him his command. "Contact Demetri, tell him that he and his partner are to find this 'Cain'."


	3. Chapter 1: Adrian

A ring of laughter reverberated down the central staircase of the Cullen house, and met with a voice from around the corner;

"They're just enjoying themselves, there's no need to worry." Carlisle turned from where he stood, hand resting on the banister. His wife approached him slowly, rounding the corner underneath the staircase. He sighed,

"Not worry, just concern." His posture relaxed as he met Esme's eyes "They are our children after all." He added with a smile. Esme sidled up next to him, and slid an arm under his and around his back, pulling herself up lightly and kissing him on the cheek.

"They'll be fine." She said quietly, "I've finished that patient transfer for you, I'll be in bed reading when you're done being concerned." She smiled for him, then walked silently up the stairs, and he followed her after a moment. At the top of the stairs, she turned left, and he turned right. The door to the guestroom was cracked open, and a slim blade of light bled out onto the hallway floor, the incandescent yellow continued up the wall, across the ceiling, and back down to the door frame, which Carlisle now pushed through.

The laughter that had been full of mirth before he entered the room quieted a fraction, but didn't stop, and they all took notice of him in their way. Alice leaned towards him slightly, as if to move closer, to give him a hug. Jasper's chest rose just a sliver of an inch, military habits die hard. Emmett's mouth curved into the slightest of smiles, seeing his father always brought out the half-serious, half smart ass smirk. Bella was sitting down, facing away from the door, leaning back on her hands. Her posture slackened an ounce, she was always more tense when Renesmee was with Jacob on the reservation, and more so when Edward was out of town, but knowing her father-in-law was behind her was reassuring, and she let herself relax. The last person in the room, and their guest, Adrian, looked up from where he was sitting, and smiled broadly at Carlisle.

"Uh oh! Party's over." he laughed out, jokingly. Adrian's voice was light, with a grain to it, like fine sandpaper, or wood that's not quite smoothed enough.

"Just making sure nobody forgot the time." Carlisle replied with a smile of his own. Carlisle took note of the tie Adrian wore, one of the many oddities about their newest acquaintance, on the day they'd first met, he'd told Carlisle he felt naked without one. He continued, "I suppose Rose has already gone to pick her up?" directing the last part to Bella, who now turned to face him, grinning.

"She left a couple minutes ago," She said, now standing and straightening the flowing skirt she wore, "I suppose Rose will expect me outside in a moment." Bella grinned again, then glided past Carlisle and out the door. Alice and Jasper both stood in unison, and shared a quick glance.

"We'd better get going." Jasper said.

"Jasper booked us the red eye going back." Alice finished, then turned to observe the grin from Adrian and Emmett. Alice and Jasper both gave Carlisle a hug and kiss, before leaving to find Esme.

"You'll have to show me what you were talking about, that trick in Italy, some time." Emmett said to Adrian, punctuating it with a punch on the shoulder that sounded like boulders falling, as they both stood. Adrian faked pain, rubbing his right shoulder with his left hand, and making an "ouch" face. They both laughed as Emmett offered him an odd handshake, clasping hands and pulling him in for a pat on the back. Emmett gave the same to Carlisle, and left the two of them alone, laughing to himself as he went out to greet Rosalie. Adrian was quick to break the silence.

"Mr. Cullen, thank you so much for letting me stay with you, your family has been so accommodating, isn't there anything I can do for you?" Carlisle smiled warmly, and saw Adrian's amber eyes lighten the slightest amount.

"Please, Adrian, we'd never ask any repayment of you, just seeing you well is plenty enough for us. Besides, you get along so well with the family, I'd hardly call it a burden to have you with us." Held out his left hand, for a handshake, and when Adrian met his hand, he replied,

"Thank you, really, thank you so much, kindness is in such short supply among us." Adrian's face was grateful, mournful, but gave him a compassionate nod, then said

"We'll all be on the drive, you should come join us, Rose will be back any moment.", releasing the handshake and moving to leave.

"I'll be down in just a bit then, I want to tidy up in here." Adrian motioned to the chairs and couch that had been scooted to face the spot where Adrian sat, only a minute ago.

Carlisle shut the door behind him, and Adrian quickly re-aligned the room to the way it was a moment ago, he stood, left hand resting on the back of the couch, looking at his reflection in the glass windows, lit from the inside, darkened by the shadows of the trees cast by a crescent moon. He was tapered, like the build of a men's clothes mannequin, his hair was short around the sides and the back, longer on the top, thick and brown. His jaw rounded, his long-lashed eyes hooded by shapely eyebrows, and his lips forming a gentle letter "M". He thought it was funny, how hardly he remembered his human reflection. He held out his right arm, admiring his newest change, the stump that showed now that he stretched his arm; his right hand torn off, just above the wrist.


	4. Chapter 2: The Message

Out on the drive, Rosalie had just parked her ridiculous sports car she had to have imported, driver's side on the right, illegal in the states, but the Cullen's had some pull with the law in Forks. She and the teenage Renesmee stepped out of the garage, to face the entirety of the Cullen family, minus Edward. Normally they wouldn't all wait to receive her, but this was an important night.

"Well, how'd it go?" Bella asked her daughter, brimming with anticipation. Renesmee blushed the tiniest bit, but reigned in the emotion, and the scarlet didn't spread any further than the tiny patches on her cheeks.

"It was fine, the movie wasn't, but the food was alright and then we chased a herd of deer for a bit." Renesmee spoke a little bashfully, being in front of the entire family, then added, "I swear, Jake is getting faster every day." Emmett laughed outwardly, everyone else seemed a little confused about why. Bella strode forward and hugged her daughter, pulling her into a one-armed embrace around the shoulders.

"He opened every door and stood when you did?"

"Yes mom, he was the perfect gentleman."

"And he ordered for you, and paid for everything?"

"Yes mom, the spitting image of a man."

"And when you said goodnight did he...?"

"Mom!" Renesmee flushed full on at this question. Bella knew as awkward as it might be to tell her family about this, there was no awkwardness between Nessie and Jake, she was of the age that made her ready to stop being his friend, and for him to start being more than a friend. They had a relationship that didn't need to be stated, least of all to the Cullen family, they should all already know better, right?

Renesmee looked up to the glass fronted living room, where Adrian stood, right arm behind his back, wound hidden, and then quickly back down to the gravel path that her mother now led her to, that would take them back to their own house. She reached across and touched her mother on the shoulder, sending her an image of Adrian silhouetted in the window. _I don't like the way he looks at me, I think I make him sick_

"Don't be silly, Adrian's just not used to you, he's never met someone quite as rare." Bella said warmly, she then turned back to the Cullen family as they climbed the stairs to the house and mouthed the words 'tell you tomorrow' silently. She opened her mouth to reassure her about Adrian again, when the phone in her purse went off. She released her daughter to badger through the leather bag, channel or gouache or some- fricking Alice and her fricking purses changing out her bag every week she could never get used to where things went- aha! Bella pulled out her overcomplicated mobile, and read Edward's messages, there were two.

Adrian ins't safe. Ask him who Cain is.

Tell Alice the deal's still on.

Renesmee grinned over her mother's shoulder, having only read the second message, the deal with Alice was that Alice wouldn't look into any of their futures, Bella, Nessie, or Edward, and in return she was allowed to throw Nessie a sweet sixteen party. It had only been seven years since she was born, but she was pretty much sixteen anyway, so it worked out in the end.

Bella, having read the first, tensed immediately, her first instinct was to move between the house and her daughter, and her shield went up like a flashbulb, iron around her and her daughter. Edward wouldn't scare her without reason, he wouldn't dare joke about their safety. The phone in her hand went to sparking liquids, squeezed through her was outside immediately, sensing the sudden change, the rest of the family, Adrian included, was out after him in only a moment.

"Don't come closer! Who is Cain!?" Bella barked at Adrian, sliding quickly several more feet back, arms outstretched to keep her confused and frightened daughter behind her. Bella ignored her family's protests, she waited for Adrian to answer, battle ready. Those of the family that did look to Adrian only got confused looks. All he could do was shrug, and back up slowly towards the house. Once he was far enough back that Bella could catch him if he leaped for her daughter, she relaxed, but reached around and put a hand around Renesmee's wrist, still in protection mode.

"Who the hell is Cain?" She repeated, bristling with anger.

"That's an excellent question." Adrian breathed, taken aback by the sudden shift in events. "I don't know what I've done, but I can see it'd be best for me to leave." As he began to back up the steps, Bella let go of Renesmee and charged, only to be caught by the arms by Jasper and Emmett.

"Bella what the hell is going on, who is Cain?" Emmett shouted, grapple with his sister-in-law.

"He knows!" She yelled, struggling, "Ask him!" Emmett and Jasper continued to fight with Bella, but all other heads turned to Adrian, now half-way up the stairs.

"I don't know who Cain is, or what he did to make you angry, I'm sorry." he professed, his eyebrows were pulled up into an apologetic arch. He took another step up, and back, when Carlisle held up a hand for him to halt. He spoke low and quickly to Bella,

"Bella, Adrian is our guest, and we are your family, I think we deserve an explanation."

Bella stopped struggling for a moment, then held up the remains of her phone, some liquid crystal from the screen, and a couple of keys mixed in with bits of silicon chips. She calmed slightly as she held out her open hand, obviously this explained what was going on, she tossed her mahogany hair back, and gave them all an expectant look that said "say something".

"Cain juiced your phone?" Adrian said from the stairs. Bella moved to attack again, and Esme shot a look back at Adrian, under which his stance slackened, looking sheepish.

"What about your phone, Bella?" Carlisle asked, standing in front of her now, looking into her eyes. Bella calmed again for a moment, then answered,

"I just got a text message." She huffed out "From Edward." She then looked around Carlisle to Adrian, standing on the stairs, "So who is Cain? The message said to ask you, along with the fact that you're dangerous!" She shouted the last part, but kept control of her physical anger. The family turned to look at Adrian.

"I don't know who Cain is, I swear it, and I assure you I'm not dangerous," He held up his mangled right arm, "I'm a little neutered at the moment." Bella seemed to instantly regret her rash actions as he hid his arm behind his back again, he was clearly hurting more than physically. She turned to Jasper

"He's truthful Bella." She turned next to Alice,

"Nothing serious coming up, I swear. Do you want me to check on Edward?"

"No," Bella answered, "his second message said that the deal's still on." Alice grinned devilishly to herself, then left to go get Renesmee who had been peeking out from behind the garage, as Bella apologized to Adrian. Alice took a quick detour a hundred yards down from where Bella crushed the phone to pick up the six thousand dollar purse she flung, no respect for finery, honestly.

"Come on, everything's okay." Alice whispered to Renesmee, as she drew closer. Renesmee reached out a hand and touched Alice on the neck clumsily; _a little fear, mostly shock, she watched Bella riot-guard her niece from Adrian. Adrian- he was pretty funny, more than a little handsome, he--_ Renesmee let go of Alice, and her pleading look met Alice's surprised one. Alice whispered so low only Nessie could hear,

"Don't worry, it doesn't amount to anything." Renesmee looked more shocked, if she could, then her face fell. Alice added with a knowing smile "Still don't worry, I don't tell your parents I checked, and you don't tell them either. Come on." She put an arm around her shoulder, and waved her towards the house, leading her up the drive, where everyone had taken the conversation into the house.


	5. Chapter 3: The Mission

Demetri stood on the crest of the dune, the desert sun threw a million tiny rainbows into spectrum off of his face and hands- just like diamonds. Edward's borrowed cloak flapped noisily against his legs and back as he lowered the precision binoculars, his eyes were remarkable, even among vampires, but these binoculars were like nothing he'd ever seen. He handed them back to Demetri,

"Useful, your own make?" He asked the tracker.

"Yes" Demetri answered, holstering them on the strap that held tightly under his robe, so as not to shake to pieces if he needed to run.

The rough stone structure sixty miles into the distance was no more than a brown blur in the desert, and that's where they were aimed.

"Did she get the message?" The tracker asked, and his thoughts betrayed his motive, Aro still wants her to join them, after everything, the Volturi were arrogant enough to want their allegiance. Edward scowled at the Volturi guard's needling, as the wind blew fresh sand into his face, he didn't bother blinking, it melted from his eyes in seconds.

"Keep your mind where it matters, Tracker, you're not my friend, just a tool."

Demetri eyed him gently, and thought rather clearly _I meant no offense by it, reader. It's always two missions with a Cullen._

Edward sighed, pulling out his phone crushing it in his fist, then leaned forward over the crest. He let gravity pull him into the slope of the sand before he moved, his right leg struck upward to his chest, and he said through a smirk "Try to keep up this time." His leg pushed down and met the sand, pushing hard into the dune. His foot sprayed up a cloud of sand, and the force from his push-off threw him forward, his left leg meeting the curve of the dune in turn, and he was gone. He scarcely heard the tracker's groan from behind him by the time he was airborne over the next dune.

He was supposed to be extending the laurel branch, the last thing they wanted was for the Volturi to see them as a group of separatists, nobody wanted to challenge their authority, just live free of their tyranny. Hopefully Bella understands the situation he's in, that he can't contact anyone directly, not with the tracker always in tow. Nothing works out like it's planned to... ever. Especially not with vampires.


	6. Chapter 4: Michael

Alice and Jasper stood in the increasingly long line to walk through the metal detectors. Incoming and outgoing traffic was divided by a large frosted glass wall, that ran the length of the hallway. Jasper watched shadows moving amorphously on the other side of the glass, the texture obscuring everything but their shape, his eyes easily scanned the line, forward, backward, watching for anyone approaching too quickly or too slowly. He also kept a gentle calm on the people waiting in security around them, tensions always ran high at airports. Alice noticed him, but didn't stop him. His protectiveness curled her lips into a grin, and she moved in closer to him, one hand on her suitcase, her other found his hand, and wove her fingers between his. Ever since they had started their careers he had been so watchful, even though nothing had gone wrong in a year and a half, he hadn't let his guard down in public once. After everything that happened between Bella becoming a Cullen and the Quilleute boys, and the Volturi, Alice only ever really felt calm and safe with Jasper. Their arrangement in the public sector worked out perfectly, he got to play captain again, head of her building's security, and she got to play editor. A year after their confrontation with the Volturi, they had worked with the vampire monarchy's business half to get jobs, both because the Cullens all felt it was time to try something new, and because they wanted to show the Volturi they still accepted their leadership in politics. As it turns out, the two-thousand year old aristocrats had some very strong relationships in the New York fashion world.

They finally made it to the front of the line, and bags, shoes, and anything metal or toe-nail clipper shaped had to go through the detectors, while they stepped through security. They gathered up their things and sat on a bench off to the side, past the gates, and re-equipped themselves with their metals and shoes. Jasper felt him approach before he turned the corner, he was agitated, and Alice saw him quickly afterward. Their Volturi 'handler' Michael stepped into view, his pace was easy but there was always a tinge of nervousness about him, his steps were never as even as they could have been. Jasper met his eyes before he and Alice stood, Michael had blue contacts in, under the glasses he liked to wear as distraction.

"What's the matter?" Jasper asked, giving Michael a quick once-over, he was supposed to be _their_ guard, but Jasper always knew that he'd be the one that needed protection in a fight.

"I tried to book us with an in-flight meal of live deer, no dice. Maybe if we flew Southwest." Michael answered, entirely calm, and they were walking again. Once they were caught up in the crowd, he spoke quietly to the two,

"Just some chatter on the channels that matter, nothing alarming." Michael's voice was smooth, easygoing, and his tone didn't show any of the unease Jasper could sense, or a vampire's eyes could see. That was something interesting about Michael, no matter how nervous he might be, he never seemed to seem it. "What, the fact that we're about to pack ourselves into metal tube flying six-hundred miles an hour with two-hundred of the tastiest things on the menu isn't enough reason for me to have the shakes?" He glanced back at them, grinning widely, his cheeks pinched back from his big smile. That was the other thing about Michael; the humor, Michael told jokes even when it was inappropriate..._ especially _when it was inappropriate. Alice rose to the occasion, grinning, and joked back,

"Well I know you won't, but if you change your mind, the plane would take care of the evidence."

Michael looked back again, thoughtful. "I've never jumped out of a plane before, I've heard it's great, seems stupid." He gave them another mild smile, then turned back forward, leading them up an escalator and onto a moving sidewalk. Alice glanced over quickly at Jasper, who got the message, and immediately smoothed out Michael's nervousness. Alice asked quickly, a little ashamed at extorting information out of their friend like this,

"Mike, who's Cain?"

Michael's mood spiked fearful for a moment, before he could hold it back, Jasper's posture firmed, and he met eyes with Alice again, and nodded. Michael turned to the two, and sighed,

"You two are ridiculous." He was annoyed, but amused by their tricks, and told them off through a spreading grin. Before he began, he asked them, "Well then, what do you know about Cain? You wouldn't have asked without some idea."

"Only what we know of the name." Jasper answered. "Biblical theology, a couple celebrities with the name, several more companies. Carlisle thought it was a codeword, the Romanians used to like to use names from the bible."

"Well that's about what we know, Stefan is dead, Vladimir's in custody." Michael answered back, and Alice's jaw dropped.

"How could I not have seen this, I wasn't looking them up or anything, but this is a huge event."

"Not necessarily," Michael cut in, "Vladimir turned himself in." This time it was Jasper's turn to look surprised.

"Turned himself in? Why?" Jasper asked, incredulous.

"I couldn't tell you if I wanted to, I don't know any of the details. A message went out to the entire guard about what happened, with nothing but the bare facts." Michael said, meeting Jasper's eyes so that he'd know he was being truthful. "Maybe the old guy just couldn't handle it any more, killed himself." Michael said, faking a thoughtful tone. "He sure was ugly, you know."

They had reached their gate and stepped off the sidewalk to go and sit by the boarding area, something tugged at Alice's thoughts though, and she voiced her concern to Michael, "So what's the significance of Cain? You didn't say why the name matters." Michael turned to face her now that they were free of any crowds, and she got her first good look at him all night, behind the thin framed glasses he wore as a disguise, he had a cheerful face, with the slightest hint of smile lines around his eyes, even in spite of being a vampire. His features were rounded, not bulging or plump, but just gentle, all the way up to his loosely curled light brown hair that had a golden shine to it. He dressed as an average member of society, brown suede zip-up, loafers and a pair of blue jeans. Michael was a master of fitting in, and who'd ever suspect the charming fellow always ready with a joke and the disarming smile?

"It's apparently all the Romanians had on them, was a slip of paper with 'CAIN' written on it in blood." He paused for a moment, when Jasper asked,

"How did Stefan die?"

"Don't know." Michael said matter-of-factly. "Old age, maybe." He added with a grin. He turned and walked to the counter, presenting all three of their tickets and getting their boarding passes, then sat down across from them in the uncomfortable airport chairs. He interrupted the two of them talking quietly trying to puzzle out what or who Cain was, and why it mattered. "The less I know about this the better, if you want to talk about Cain then wait until we get to New York, please. You know who I work for." His voice struck a rare serious note, and his face was imploring as he looked from Alice to Jasper, "I have my little career going on here, I'm seen after and taken care of, I don't want to lose it for knowing too much."

"Of course, we'd never do that to you." Jasper said, lightly touching Alice's hand, at which she gave a small smile to Michael. Alice sank back into her grey plastic seat, trying again to sift through the future, and worry washed over her again. Aro, Caius, Marcus, Vladimir, all mist, nothing but mist.


	7. Chapter 5: The Problem

Rose, Emmett, Bella, Esme, Carlisle, and Adrian all sat around the kitchen table, a phone had been brought to sit on the middle of the table so the scene resembled a business meeting. Alice and Jasper were on the line from their New York apartment, relaying what they had learned from Michael, and what they hadn't learned from clairvoyance. Bella's eyes continually flicked over to Adrian, still concerned from the night before. Renesmee had been given leave to stay with the Blacks until further notice. In Bella's mind, if Adrian was dangerous, then the safest place for her to be was with the wolves. Adrian sat as usual, his right arm tucked across the flat of his back, his left propped up on the table, his chin resting on his fist. It seemed the kind of thing the Cullens did to fit in among people, odd physical habits; but Adrian didn't seem to be faking it, he was genuinely supporting his head. Bella was curious, and moved to imitate the posture. On the other side of the table, Emmett was loosing a stream of vehemencies under his breath, then spoke up, both to the family in the room, and on the phone.

"I wish Edward would tell us what he knows. Dammit!" He, like everyone else, was tired of wracking their brains to find out who Cain is, or what Cain is, and why Edward thinks it makes Adrian dangerous.

"I'm sorry Emmett, I'm sure this is a misunderstanding, I know Edward wouldn't worry anyone without cause, but he could be mistaken." Adrian said; it was the same conclusion they had collectively settled on hours ago, but everyone kept voicing it, maybe if they said it aloud enough it would be true.

"And the last you heard of Edward he was in Italy, you're sure? You didn't get any contact between his last phone call and the two messages?" Rose asked Bella, again.

"No, I keep saying it. I haven't heard anything from Edward since before he landed to pick up his orders." Bella answered, slightly annoyed, moving out of her posture she had mirrored from Adrian.

The Cullens had all been working with the business side of the Volturi, Edward was the only one who had it any differently. Edward was the first one to offer peace, it was even his idea. "_Ungrateful" _to herself, the thought was always tugging at her mind when Edward was away on "business", but she pushed it away, she loved her family dearly, she was just shorter of patience without her husband, right? Jasper and Alice got to live in New York, work where they wanted, and all they had to deal with was answering to their newest family friend, the Volturi liaison Michael. Carlisle had tremendous amounts of resources at his disposal to deal with patience, as well as a vampire attack free-zone that covered most of the state, and half of the west coast. And Rose and Emmett got their TV show out of Los Angeles for a couple years before they'd die in a tragic car wreck. What did Bella get? She got to go without Edward for two weeks out of the month, so that the rest of them could live their lives, free of fear. Edward had taken an offer as a temporary member of the Volturi guard; he had been working with Demetri for the past few months, but he wouldn't tell her doing what; clearly working with this Cain, or trying to find him. Most of Edward's assignments were recruiting, or recapturing. Bella's frustration came to a head, and she finally let out an annoyed huff, standing up from the table, and leaving. Before she turned she noticed that Adrian had quickly stood when she left the table.

"Of course." She laughed out sarcastically. "Always the gentleman!" She stormed to the door, moving slowly for a vampire until she got through the door, and let loose. She was gone.

"I'm sorry." Adrian apologized to the rest of the table sheepishly, sitting down.

"It's okay," Carlisle said, "This is just a little more difficult on Bella than the rest of us." He then turned his attention to the phone that was still on conference call, not that they could see his eye contact. "You two should be getting back to work, we've gone over everything a hundred times, and I don't think we're getting anywhere. Until anything changes, I think we should take Michael's advice and keep ourselves out of it."

"There's one more thing, though." Alice broke in, her voice flattened by the phone, it couldn't carry the same spectrum a vampire's vocal cords could. "I think I should check on them, their futures."

"Bella and Edward?" Rose asked. She grinned wickedly when she added, "But then who will throw Nessie a party?"

"This is more important." Alice fired back quickly, and several mouths hung open. "We need to know why Edward would scare us like this."

Adrian was thoughtful for a moment, before he explained. "Edward must have wanted to you not to look for some other reason, it doesn't make sense that he'd send such a frivolous request along with a serious warning. No offense to Renesmee's sixteenth birthday."

"That makes sense." Carlisle confirmed. "He must not want you finding out what he's working on with the Volturi, the knowledge must be dangerous."

Adrian looked askance at Carlisle, worry in his face, "Is Edward going to be alright, if his assignment deals with dangerous information...?"

"Edward is perfectly capable of handling himself in any situation. Besides, Aro knows how much Edward learns from him every time they meet, Edward probably could have more sway on the council than Marcus or Caius. It's what keeps most of us in their good graces, knowing that Edward is probably the only Vampire capable of replacing Aro." Carlisle said. "Alice, I think you should stay out of Edward's future for now, I think it's best for everyone."

Alice agreed, then she and Jasper said their good-bye's and I love you's before hanging up.

"I'm going to go find Bella." Rose said.

"I'm going to go call my agent." Emmett said through a wide smirk, dipping out of the room. Being a TV star was still very amusing to him.

Adrian was left sitting down the table from Carlisle and Esme, who's clasped hands rested on the thick mahogany table.

"You have been infinitely gracious to me, and I want to thank you again." Adrian said, his voice laced with respect. "But I think I should leave forks, I need to leave you to your peace."

Esme spoke up for the first time during their meeting, "You haven't brought us trouble, only concern. It's only been ten days, but you fit in so well here, and you get along with the family."

"Aside from being an imminent threat..." Adrian said off-handedly, frowning to himself.

"Whatever this is, with Cain, Edward's assignment will end in a couple days, and he can come back and explain everything in person. Until then, we'd love to have you with us, it's probably safer for you here than anywhere else." Carlisle offered, smiling at Adrian.

"I'm sorry that I don't have any answers." He said looking down at the table, and his remaining hand, which was now flat on the table. "I"m sorry all I have to say is apologies."


	8. Chapter 6: Crypt

Demetri stood back-to-back with his partner. His temporary partner. Felix was so much more enjoyable. They turned very slowly, eyes scanning the room, shining their infra-red lights around. Humans couldn't see in the infrared spectrum, but handily enough, they could. The room they scanned now was ancient. Sand piled in the corners, against any imperfection on the thousands of years old stone tile floor. The stairs into this chamber, as with the one above, and the one above that, had been lost to sand blowing in, but it was growing thinner the deeper they went. After thoroughly inspecting the pitch-black room, Demetri signaled, and they went through the passageway to the right of the entrance, which turned out to be another staircase. They were eight right-turns in, deep under the dunes by now, Demetri drew the model in his head, they were moving straight down, in a squared spiral. What was in these rooms? Why were they so large? As long as he was questioning things, why were they here? And why did he have to work with the stuffy man-boy from the states. Edward sharply elbowed him in the ribs for the last thought, _apparently not that stuffy, _Demetri added. At least he didn't have to talk when would have with Felix, the Cullen boy would be first detected if they were attacked. Edward smirked on the tracker's opposite side, now scanning the room with his "partner". Another empty chamber, another staircase in and down, then down and out. They finished surveying the room, and moved to go down the next set of steps, when Demetri stopped Edward. It was so faint, infinitely faint, how old was it, thousands of years? He knelt down, and gently brushed some sand away from a stone tile that was in front of the next staircase. There were some symbols darkened into the stone, just discoloration? The two vampires knew it for what it was instantly, blood. Even after several thousand years they could smell its sweetness, though very very faint.

"What does it say?" Edward asked aloud. Demetri gave him a stern look over his shoulder, and thought mightily _Keep your voice down! Imbecile!_

"Oh yeah? Pharaoh's going to rise from the grave and hear us?" Edward asked sarcastically, kicking away more sand from the same area carelessly. "It's writing, Demetri, Sanskrit. Can you read it?"

"Cain. It says Cain." He voiced grimly, looking up to Edward who was now well progressed in filling the room with a dust cloud. "Could you stop that?"

Edward continued kicking up a ring of dust around the room, clearing the perimeter of the room of sand. "Then Aro was right, and we're not wasting our time. But stop scolding me, you have a lot more to read." Edward said, indicating the trail he had excavated around the room. Demetri stood, standing back slightly, and saw the writing in blood, all the way around the chamber.


	9. Chapter 7: Interesting

Renesmee leaned back into the thick brown mass of fur that was her resting boyfriend, she laughed inwardly, if she hadn't grown up in a family of vampires, with a pack of wolves for friends, she might think this scene was strange. His massive lungs heaved in his chest, pressing against the thick mosses of the forest floor, and causing Renesmee to rise and fall gently. He had just won their footrace, but she was sure that in another two months, she'd be able to beat him, at the rate she was speeding up. She put a hand on his flank, and sent him her second place view of their race. The wolf let out something between a bark and a whine, and his lungs rumbled, amused. He moved to stand up, having regained his breath, and let her slide easily back to her feet. He looked back around his side, held her eyes for just a moment, then lumbered off into the jungle to change back into Jacob Black, the human.

Renesmee looked around into the forest, they were deep into the peninsula, and the moss hung from the trees almost down to the forest floor. She thought briefly about the time she sneaked up on Jacob while he was changing back as a younger child. It was innocent, she wasn't more than six by human standards when she pulled it off, but thinking back on it now made her blush. She listened intently to the sounds of the wolf's paws disappearing behind the trees, he was so quiet. She though about her growth for a moment, only three years ago she was still just a child. Her advanced growth was slowing significantly now, but she still grew so fast she didn't quite get the hang of being any one edge for any one time. Carlisle told her she was sixteen now, and Jake was like 24, but he didn't really age since he changed, so he would also be about 16. She huffed and took a firm step down, her short curls bouncing with her exasperated gesture. They needed new numbers, the human ones didn't work very well in this instance.

Jake rounded a large tree to her side, and she turned to see him in the white button-down shirt and black slacks she always forced him to wear, and smiled widely. He caught her lightly as she jumped into him, and spun around, to counter her momentum, pulling her closer for an overwarm hug.

"Seth thinks you must have tripped a couple times, to not have beat me." Jacob told the top of her head, her face was occupied being buried in his chest. She sent him the idea through her touch easier than she voiced it, _"Maybe I let you win?"_ Jacob simply smiled. Renesmee's thoughts drifted back to a moment ago, she thought about sending him what she thought about watching him change back, but she stopped herself, instead quickly pulling herself up by his shoulders and pecking him on the cheek. Renesmee wasn't a shy person, but she was shy about Jacob, it had only been a couple months ago that she decided she wanted him as more than a friend. There came the gentle padding of bare feet over the forest moss from farther beyond the trees. Both Renesmee and Jacob looked to the sound of the noise, and Jacob let Renesmee slide to the ground gently.

"It's me." Leah's voice called, "I tried to catch you before you phased, you have a phone call back at your place." her voice carried a tinge of reticence, she wasn't the biggest fan of seeing a wolf with their imprinted mate, still being alone after six years. The bitterness had dried up a little, but the loneliness hadn't.

"Who is it?" Jake asked, squaring his shoulders to face her.

"Won't say, but Billy thought it was important enough to send me out here." She stood heavily on an angled tree root until Jake kissed Renesmee on the forehead, and loped off into the woods, calling back "I'll see you later."

"It's nice to see you." Renesmee said to Leah. "You hardly come around any more."

"It's been a while, yeah." Leah answered, stepping down and walking up alongside Renesmee, who had now turned to face the direction of the Cullen residence. "We hear there's a new vampire staying with the Cullens."

"Adrian!" Renesmee said energetically, "He's really cool, he knows all kinds of stuff, reads a lot." Leah raised an eyebrow at her friend.

"Oh yeah, what's he look like?"

"Um..." Renesmee thought for an instant, and then gently touched Leah on the arm, sending her an image of him telling stories at the kitchen table, the warm feelings she had about Adrian came across as well, which was odd. Normally her touch was so much more specific. Whether it was her positive spin on the matter, or just Adrian himself, Leah exclaimed,

"Oh, he's cute!" emphasizing the "u" quite a bit. "Any chance you can introduce us?" Renesmee bumped into Leah playfully.

"My mom doesn't want me around him, he might be dangerous." She stated sarcastically, clearly not believing it. "But you'll protect me if I step out of bounds, won't you?" She asked, grinning mischievously.

"Oh of course!" Leah responded, filling her words with extra breath for comedic effect. They both giggled before Leah struck up a serious tone. "Why does mommy Cullen think he's dangerous?"

"Brace yourself." Renesmee commanded, bringing the events of the last few days into focus, she laid a hand on Leah's shoulder, and explained.

**Hey guys, thanks for reading the story, don't forget to review and favorite if you enjoyed it. And if you want to read more, make sure to spread the word and tell your friends; positive reinforcement goes a long way!**


	10. Chapter 8: The Note

Adrian sat back in the rich leather chair, facing away from the door, a tattered book with a teal cover rested against his drawn up knee, held open by his hand. He read in silence, turning the yellowed pages with his thumb. He heard their laughter drawing closer from the woods, he didn't bother to look up from his book to check who the giggles belonged two. Two heartbeats, one heavy and one fluttering. What an incredible oddity, little Nessie Cullen with her hummingbird heart, mothered by a mortal, fathered by a corpse. He continued reading his book as their footsteps crossed over the drive, up the stairs, and through the front door. As they moved across the living room towards the stairs, he noticed that the second set of steps wasn't as heavy as Jacob's, they must be someone else's. He ought to pay more attention while he's reading, getting lost in a book is a bad habit for a vampire like him to develop. He sighed quietly, and put down his book just when the woods-and-earth scent of one of the Quileute wolves drifted up the stairs and into his temporary quarters. He quickly straightened his tie with his left hand, then swiveled the leather desk chair around to greet his guests.

Renesmee and her companion rounded the corner at the top of the stairs, and Adrian got his first look at the newcomer; another oddity, a woman. She was wearing a simple pair of cargo shorts and a sports bra, and nothing else, odd. He smiled for them, and waved them in to have a seat in his rented room.

"You'll upset your mother coming to visit me, you know." Adrian said coyly, and gave a very quick wink.

"And that's exactly why I'm leaving!" Renesmee exclaimed, smiling. She stood, receiving confused looks from Leah and Adrian as she marched out the door and down the stairs.

"Well I'm Adrian." He introduced himself, both of them still tentatively watching the spot where Renesmee had vanished from sight. He turned back to look at her; no shoes, rough feet, no shirt, smooth rouge skin, short black hair, proud features. All before she turned back to him, _I'll give him some time to look _she thought to herself.

"I'm Leah. Leah Clearwater." She said, turning back to face Adrian, and leaning far out of her chair to offer him a hand. He looked at the hand quizzically, held sideways for a handshake, he smiled lopsidedly, took her hand and turned it palm down, then brought his head down and kissed her middle knuckle lightly; _always the gentleman_, he thought to himself with amusement. "What were you reading?" She asked, and when he raised a single eyebrow at her, she continued, smiling "I can smell the paper on your hands-- hand." She corrected herself, feeling foolish

"Ulysses." He answered. "by James Joyce. I found this first edition in Carlisle's library." He almost said more, but she didn't seem all that interested in modernist literature.

"Where is Carlisle?" She asked, looking out the hallway towards his study. She had been in there a couple times over the years, but never for more than a few seconds.

"He and Esme are hunting, and I suspect Bella and Renesmee are out at the cottage." He answered, eying her carefully.

"Read me something." She commanded matter of factly, leaning back into the couch she was sitting on. Adrian raised his eyebrows in mock surprise, but then picked the book back up, and opened it.

"Paternity may be a legal fiction." He read, "Who is the father of any son should love him or he any son?" While he read, eyes on the book, Leah took the moment to look him over. She knew from Renesmee's visions that his hand was missing, though he tucked it behind his back constantly. His hair was unkempt in an intentional sort of way, and he wore simple clothes that spoke to the Cullen's money. The tie was a little clownish, she thought. All the same they fit him exceedingly well, like they had been made for him, or rather that he had been made for them. She let him keep reading for a while, taking in his details. She didn't so much listen to his words as she did listen to the sound of his voice. After sitting in the room with him for several more minutes, she started to notice his scent. All the vampires she had known had smelled very similarly, disgustingly sweet, like too much sugar in soda, or eating fruit jam straight out of the jar. Adrian's scent was sweet like every other candied vampire she knew, but there was something arid to it that she couldn't place, a bite in her nostrils that she couldn't recognize. She wondered if the Cullen's had noticed this oddity about him, but then her nose was significantly more keen than theirs. The more she smelled it, let it roll over her palette, and listened to his words washing over her, the less he smelled like a vampire, and the more he smelled like something more pleasant.

"Are you a vampire?" she asked, interrupting his book. Adrian looked up, confused.

"I'm fairly certain. I drink blood for nourishment." He answered. "Why do you ask? Don't I look like one?"

"You don't smell like one, the more that I think about it, you smell more like someone I used to know than one of the Cullens." She said, trying to remember who exactly he smelled like. Cinnamon, caramelized onions and--

"Who?" he cut in on her thoughts. There was a desperate tone to his voice she found odd, she hadn't heard it before, or was he just as curious as she was?

"I'm not sure, I'll let you know if I remember." She said gently, now sitting forward from her relaxed posture a little. Adrian looked like he was trying to suck on one of his own canine teeth, his tongue pushing against his gums. "What's wrong?" Leah asked.

"I don't remember..." Adrian paused, "I don't remember anything."

Leah stared, the bitterness in his voice was so latent he seemed almost like a different person, nothing like the cheerful man who had been reading Ulysses to her for the past ten minutes. "You don't remember anything at all?"

"The farthest back I can remember is three weeks ago." Adrian sighed heavily, and his posture collapsed, his shoulders sagged and his head fell forward. "I was on a bus to Spokane with a note in my hand, and fifty dollars in my pocket." Adrian seemed resigned to something. Leah was silent for a moment, then she quickly crossed the room, sitting in a chair next to Adrian's, and laid a hand gently on his right shoulder. It was always surprising how cold they were.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly.

"No, it's fine" Adrian said, resolve in his voice. He sat up straight again, reaching across and over his shoulder, and taking hold of her hand, it felt scorching hot to him. He looked into her eyes and told her, "It's nobody's fault, and I doubt I could have found someone who would show me more hospitality than Carlisle. I must have known he could help me..." He trailed off, and let her hand go, then looked down at the floor.

"What did the note say?" Leah asked, trying out a cheer-you-up tone. He looked up at her plainly, then reached into his left pocket and pulled out a folded note, and handed it to her.

Carlisle Cullen

Forks, Washington

Only eat animals


End file.
